Secret-Weapon Ingredients Chefs Keep Stocked at Home

There are sure ingredients that everyone has in their kitchen , like a feeding bottle of Sriracha with a petrified cap . But long before cock sauce wasa staple of the home cook , chefs gushed about the condiment as a unavowed weapon .

To find out what other secret they keep up their sleeve , we postulate a group of chef from around the area to secernate us one of their preferred dwelling - kitchen ingredients , and what they use it for . Some are so common they ’re available at every grocery fund , while others are so deep - cutting they require serious diligence connectedness to procure .

Son fish sauce

" I always keep Son Pisces sauce . My booster give me a bottleful of extra - virgin press and I ca n’t know without it . It ’s made on a family island in Vietnam and it ’s the best fish sauce I ’ve ever had . I use it for dressings , marinade , or simply with calx , soybean , and serrano pepper as a dipping sauce for Pisces . It ’s awing because the ingredient are just anchovies and sea salt , the flavors are so pure . " – Andrew " Dru " Betita , Aestus(Santa Monica , CA )

Plain yogurt

" One ingredient I always have at home in the kitchen is plain yoghurt , because of its versatility . tally love and berries for breakfast or make a quick sauce or marinade for grilled meats for dinner . My kids love to dunk quesadillas in it , too . “– Paul C. Reilly , Beast + Bottle(Denver , CO )

Furikake rice seasoning

" Every sort of JFC - brand furikake seduce unornamented rice or steam broccoli a flying tasty meal . " – Tom Moorman , founding father ofMcGuire Moorman Hospitality(Austin , TX )

Shirataki tofu noodles

" I always have shiratake bean curd noodles in my pantry ! " – Jesse Schenker , The GanderandRecette(New York , NY )

Pickled mustard seeds

" I have a couplet of long - lasting staples that I love to keep on hand to add together to dishes as an surplus smell and grain boost . For example , I love keeping pickle leaf mustard seeds in the electric refrigerator to enhance vinaigrettes , to diffuse on toast and top with prosciutto and manchego cheese , or to add to a flying pan sauce for steak . " – Jimmy Bradley , chef / proprietor ofThe Red Cat(New York , NY )

100% pure tomato powder

" I sprinkle it on grilled porc chop or use it as a dry rub on rib . And adding a sprint in Lycopersicon esculentum sauce look at it to a deeper state of tomato . " – Tony Mantuano , Spiaggia(Chicago , IL )

Nam prik pao sauce

" I always keep a bottle of my favored nam prik pao sauce , which I love to habituate on Sir Henry Wood - fired substance , in stir - fries , warming noodle soups , and more . I hump to make my own and stack away it in the refrigerator , but there are also a lot of authentic bottles you may retrieve in specialty computer memory and online . " –Ford Fry , The Optimist and many more ( Atlanta , GA and Houston , TX )

Sicilian dried oregano

" I always keep Sicilian dried oregano that ’s still on the arm on hand for making flying vinaigrettes or finishing sauce . For the former , try adding it to a fertilisation made with crimson wine-coloured vinegar , olive oil , stinker juice , garlic , and shallots , which is great for an Italian hack salad . " – Michael Fiorelli , Love & Salt(Manhattan Beach , CA )

Shrimp paste

" I mainly use it to make runt goner at home , or I ’ll jumble it in with eggs and dark-green onion plant with some white white pepper . “– Eric Silverstein , proprietor atThe Peached Tortilla(Austin , TX )

Piccalilli

" It ’s the best condiment ever : pickled onions , pickled cauliflower , mustard , and turmeric . It goes on everything , from sandwiches to grill chicken . “– Julia Doyne , executive chef atThe Forge(Miami , FL )

Bourbon Barrel soy mash

" I chew the fat Matt Jamie of Bourbon Barrel Foods in Louisville , KY ( the only microbrewed soya sauce in the United States ! ) and take the leftover spent soybean mash off his hands to use in my kitchen at Lockbox . This is the by - product left behind after the fermented dome have been conjure for their juice . I lean to keep at least a dry quart of this mash in the electric refrigerator at household to add to the front terminal of a soup or irksome Captain Cook I ’m preparing . dry out the soy out and pop out it in a liquidiser and it makes an amazing remedy or juiceless rub for center . The mash bestow a depth and umami funk that people ca n’t put their finger on when they come over for a repast . They love it!"– Jonathan Searle , Lockbox at 21c Museum Hotel Lexington(Lexington , KY )

Turmeric

" I use turmeric for color and medicative superpowers . “– Bethany DiBaggio , chef de culinary art atThe Peached Tortilla(Austin , TX )

Dashi soup base

" wintry or prepared dashi soup base purchased in store is perfect for whisk up a quick repast . “– Thomas Chen , Tuome(New York , NY )

Yuzu kosho

" My go - to ingredient at rest home is yuzu kosho , a spicy , piquant , and citrusy Nipponese library paste . It ’s a neat replacement for received hot sauce . “– Chris Jaeckle , Uma TemakeriaatGotham West Market(New York , NY )

Hearts of palm

" you’re able to eat them raw , make a salad , dip them in Tabasco , and even grill them . They are low-cal , refreshful , and healthy . ” – Michael Schulson , chef and owner atSampan , Independence Beer Garden , andIzakaya(Philadelphia , PA )

Kewpie mayo

" I always keep Kewpie mayo because its America are eternal , it ’s Japan ’s phone number - one better - selling condiment . " – Travis McShane , executive chef / cooperator atAdele’s(Nashville , TN )

Dried shrimp

" I always keep dried shrimp in my kitchen , and I blend it with spices like common salt and capsicum or chili flakes . I care to sprinkle them over things like stir - fry veg , peeved Brassica oleracea italica , or spinach to give them a depth of flavor and umami . " – Timon Balloo , executive chef / partner atSUGARCANE sensitive bar grill(Miami , FL )

Sign up herefor our day-after-day Thrillist email , and get your localization of the good in solid food / crapulence / sport .

breakfast, fried chili paste